Knowledge and Distance
by Daze Rivers
Summary: There is only one reason for Kyoya's behaviour and Tamaki, after weeks of watching and analyzing, had finally figured it out. This new found epiphany, if anything, should bring them closer together? So why is it keeping them apart? Maybe if he hounds Kyoya about the issue until Kyoya cracks, maybe then Kyoya will admit to being in love with him.


"I know you love me!"

Kyoya stalked across Ouran's lawn like he hadn't heard Tamaki and his ridiculous prattle.

"I _know_ you love me, Kyoya, I'm saying I know." Tamaki smiled, beamed, shone like a star about to supernova and Kyoya did not want to be caught in the fallout that ensued. He sped up, glancing around, calculating how many students would see him run away from Tamaki if the need arose.

Tamaki linked their arms before Kyoya came to any conclusion. "C'mon, admit it. Admit you're in love with me."

Kyoya rolled his eyes and maintained steady breathing. "You're my best friend Tamaki, and to some extent, I suppose I do love you, but I am not in love with you. You're ridiculous. Enough with this nonsense!" Kyoya tore away from Tamaki and broke into a jog towards his awaiting town car. When he was safely inside, he looked back and saw Tamaki smiling and waving, but there was something behind his eyes, a kind of knowledge that made Kyoya's blood run cold and his face grow warm.

"Are you all right master Kyoya? You seem flushed."

"I'm fine, just drive." Kyoya swallowed and reached into his bag for his book. Something would have to be done about this.

-n

Tamaki watched Kyoya from the top of the stairs. He could tell his best friend was avoiding him, but he wasn't quite sure what to do about it. Coming to the conclusion that Kyoya had to have been in love with him, well it had been quite the epiphany and maybe Tamaki hadn't gone about it in the best way.

Kyoya was writing in his notebook and chewing thoughtfully on his pen. His hair was slightly messy, and his face was slightly flushed from the run over here. Kyoya thought he was so clever coming here, like Tamaki had never figured out where he went when Kyoya was avoiding him.

Tamaki had to think this through, had to imagine all the consequences of his actions. There was their families to consider, Kyoya's ambitions, the rest of the club, his maybe-not-so-plantonic feelings for Haruhi and his maybe-not-so-plantonic feelings for Kyoya.

Tamaki sighed, but it must have been too loud because Kyoya looked up from the bottom of the stairs and spotted him immediately. A look of panic overtook his face briefly.

"ADMIT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME!" Tamaki shouted.

"NEVER!" Kyoya screamed back. "I-I mean you're being stupid! I'm not in love with you and stop screaming these things so loudly." Kyoya snapped his notebook shut and stalked out of the stairwell.

Tamaki blew hair out of his face and rested his forearms on the bannister. He really wished he had thought of a Plan B.

-n

To say that Kaoru was certain of his sexuality was would be a lie. He liked girls, sometimes, well he liked Haruhi, but he wasn't so sure about guys. He would be lying if said he'd never thought about Kyoya in a romantic way, but that didn't mean he had a crush on him, it just meant that his sempai was cool and dangerously attractive and maybe Kaoru was a little bit into that.

But he was fairly certain that Kyoya wasn't into that. That is to say, Kaoru had been fairly certain, up to this point, that Kyoya didn't have a crush on anyone. Definitely not any girls and probably not any guys either.

As he eavesdropped on Tamaki and Kyoya however, he grew markedly less certain. It was lunchtime and Kyoya was spending lunch in the clubroom. He had been spending lunch in the clubroom for about a week. Kyoya had been acting weird the entire week too. Darting around halls to avoid Tamaki, having hushed arguments in the corner with Tamaki, pretending not to notice or look at Tamaki. Kaoru was staring to see a pattern.

Right now, Kyoya was typing at his laptop eyes fixated on the screen. Tamaki was standing behind him, hands lightly on his shoulders. Kaoru had seen Tamaki drape himself over Kyoya like Tamaki was Kyoya's coat. Kaoru had seen Tamaki massage Kyoya's shoulder and feet like it wasn't weird at all. Kaoru had even seen some other interactions that seemed to run straight at the fine line between skinship and sexual.

Kaoru had never seen this however. Tamaki was tapping lightly on Kyoya's shoulders and every jolt seemed to rattle Kyoya. Cool, unflappable Kyoya.

Kaoru strained his ears as he hovered by the clubroom door, but all he could head was harsh whispers. Signing, he ran to the black magic clubroom, walked straight in, and walked over to the door that lead to Music Room 3.

"Just tell me you're in love with me." He heard Tamaki say.

"No."

"C'mon Kyoya, just tell me. I already know. I know—"

"Funny how you can know something that is just _not true_."

"Kyooooooya. Just tell me. It's okay, I'm not mad you're in love me actually I—"

"Stop saying that!"

Kaoru withdrew from the door slowly and closed it firmly. He stared at Reiko and Nekozowa, the only ones in the clubroom.

"You say nothing. You head nothing." Kaoru brought a finger to his slips and practiced his best "Kyoya smile." They nodded and Kaoru left.

The next week passed the same as the first and now that Kaoru knew what to look for it was insanely obvious what was going on. And what was more obvious was that Tamaki was right. Kyoya kept staring at Tamaki, catching himself and turning away. And now that Kyoya was keeping his distance from Tamaki, it was suddenly clear how ridiculously, almost inappropriately close they had been.

Still, it seemed like he was the only one noticing it. Hikaru didn't report anything weird and Mori and Honey seemed pretty absorbed with themselves. Kaoru wondered about Haruhi, about whether her feelings for Tamaki were interfering with her ability to see what was staring her in the face.

The arguments got so heated that it began to drag on during club hours and one day, in the middle of hosting a bunch of guests Tamaki stood up and face Kyoya who had been alternating between ignoring him and staring at him indecisively the whole day.

"JUST ADMIT IT!" Tamaki had shouted, hands on his hips. Kyoya had turned, an icy smile on his lips and his cool mask turning cold.

"I. Don't. Know. What. You. Mean." He clenched his teeth again, not really smiling any more. The rest of the guests seemed to notice, but after a solemn and pointed glare at Kyoya, Tamaki eased their minds.

Things were escalating fast, and Kaoru was no longer certain what was going to happen.

-n

"Kyoya." Tamaki had cornered his right before club hours ended. Most of the guests were filling out and the other hosts were gathering their things. "Kyoya you need to talk to me. You can't keep ignoring me, I'm your best friend."

Kyoya merely shrugged and motioned to get past Tamaki who slid and blocked Kyoya's way.

"Kyoya, you're being too distant and I know you miss me. You said it yourself, you love me." Kyoya grimaced, regretting ever thinking he could have placated Tamaki with that. "And even if you won't admit you're in love with me, I know you don't like us fighting."

"We're fighting because of you, you idiot." Kyoya hissed. "You just can't let it go. No. The idea that someone isn't in love with you is so foreign to your little dumbass mind that—"

"You're in love with me!"

"NO!"

"Yes you are! Yes you are! You're in love with me."

"I'M NOT!" Kyoya's hands began to shake with rage. "I'm not—"

"You are _soooo_ in love with me. You _love_ me. You love _me_! I know!"

"I don't love you!"

"Yes you do, and it's okay because I lo—"

"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU EGOSTITICAL—"

"YOU LOVE ME!"

"—STUPID, CROOKED JAWED, BLUE EYED MORON—"

"YOU LOVE MY STUPID BLUE EYES AND HEY! My jawline is not crooked—"

"I hate you!" Kyoya was trembling with rage. He thought he might punch something. He remembered that day when Tamaki had come over, years ago to play the piano and ask pointed questions. He remembered flipping the table and wanting to straggle Tamaki.

"You love me." Tamaki grinned. He grinned so softly, despite Kyoya's rage, despite their yelling. "You really love me."

"You—" Kyoya took a swing at Tamki, grabbing his shirt collar and throwing his against the wall. He was aware of some commotion behind and Hikaru's voice shouting after him.

"Whoa Kyoya! Calm down, there's no need for violence." Hikaru shouted.

"Admit it. You're in love with me." Tamaki grinned again, not sweetly. No this was a shit-eating grin if Kyoya had ever seen one. "You _LOVE_ me."

Kyoya snarled and head butted Tamaki, though not hard enough to really hurt. He lingered there, just a moment, gathering all the venom into his voice as he could.

"No one could possibly fool such an inconsiderate, self-absorbed fool." Kyoya spat the words like they would have some impact, but Tamaki's grin only grew.

"No one but you,"

Kyoya had never wanted to punch someone so had. So he did. Well, he didn't punch him with his fist, just with his face. Okay so maybe he kissed him. The two were very similar when dealing with Tamaki.

In some ways Kyoya expected his first kiss to be very different. If he was lucky it would be with somewhere secluded, with a boy he liked, but would never see again and risk becoming his father's heir. If he was unlikely, it would be with a girl, someone it would be advantageous to date.

Tamaki's lips were slightly chapped, but Kyoya kept his own firmly attached. He wasn't sure what would happen if he drew any. He wasn't sure what Tamaki would do. An "I told you so" might be expected but other than that Kyoya was flying blind.

When Tamaki started to laugh Kyoya did punch him, though not very hard. Tamaki kept laughing and his laughter was light. When he stopped and looked up at Kyoya it was clear he was trying very hard to be serious, but just couldn't manage.

Kyoya stared at him, aware of the rest of the hosts looking on and possibly some guests. Later, he'd have to fix that and work damage control but not now.

"I'm waiting." Tamaki said, biting his lips to keep from smiling.

"For what?" Kyoya furrowed his brow.

"For you to tell me you love me! That's how confessions go." Kyoya must not have looked amused because Tamaki chuckled then continued. "It's okay, I love you too."

"I…" Kyoya blinked a few times before rolling his eyes and whacking Tamaki on the side. "Moron."

"I'm still waiting Kyoya."

"You'll wait a lot longer if you keep that up."

"Aw, C'mon, I just confessed my love for you and you're treating me so coolly," Tamaki tried to pout, but kept reverting back into his shit-eating grin. "I'm really hurt Kyoya."

"I deeply regret ever talking to you in middle school."

"What? That—"

"I am irrevocably in love with you." Kyoya stared right at Tamaki who stopped talking mid-sentence. "Irrefutably, unequivocally in love with you, you giant moron." Tamaki started to blush. He brought a hand to his face that did nothing to hide his fully body flush. "But I swear, if you I say no and you don't take that as your answer one more time, I'll end you."

Tamaki paled and nodded. "It's just, I knew that you—"

"One more time Tamaki, try it." Kyoya held up a finger and than turned to the rest of the hosts who had been hovering at the edge. "And you, " he pointed at each one individually. "Don't you have things you should be doing? Or are you requesting more work?" Everyone shook their heads and scampered off. Kyoya turned back to Tamaki and kissed him again.

A part of him was waiting for the fairy tale force of magic that was supposed to hit, but it didn't come. Tamaki's lips felt soft, and they made Kyoya feel soft, but there wasn't any explosion. Just a calm feeling of ease.

Kyoya withdrew and looked Tamaki in the eye. "Instead of pestering me about admitting my feelings, there was an easier way around this."

"Well I thought, with your father and—"

"I could have taken care of that, maybe, I have some plans at least—"

"Then why didn't you tell me you loved me?"

"I didn't know you loved me."

Kyoya and Tamaki were still only an inch apart when someone cleared there throat. It was Ima Sato from class 2-D. Kyoya paled for an instant, but Ima shook her head and brought her hands up.

"I just wanted to know if you've seen my glasses…I kind of need them…you know…to see…" Tamaki and Kyoya stared at her. "This…" Ima gestured to the two of them. "This is fine…" Kyoya frowned. "You…You don't need me to tell you um…It's-I'm not going to say anything but my glasses…"

"We probably have them in the back, I'll go check." Kyoya smiled and withdrew from Tamaki, grabbed his arms and headed to the back room.

"Are we really looking for that girl's glasses because I think I actually saw them in the front…"

"You know that answer to that one already."

"Ah."


End file.
